Chapter 163

Knock! Knock!

"Your Majesty, they've caught Chete." A voice called out to him from outside the bedroom door.

Curtis groaned as he raised his upper body off the bed to glance towards the door. He could hear the servants outside scurrying about the palace. From behind a cold body pressed itself against his bare back.

"I'll see him in the prison later. For now just keep him shackled under watch." Curtis ordered back without leaving the bed.

"Yes, sir." The voice replied. Followed by the sound of footsteps leaving.

"I guess they still haven't found the Dradel royal family." Lyra's voice whispered by his ear from over his shoulder. Her cold body embracing him from behind as he sat there.

"They are no longer a problem. After what happened they wouldn't dare try to return to Dradel. If they are found they will only die but we can't be careless." Curtis muttered the words as he imagined killing the Dradel family as soon as he caught on to their location.

During the night after Chete had become aware of the situation. Chete had lead the Dradel royal family out of the palace with the aid of Flora. Their location was unknown as Curtis was only able to keep a tail on Chete before completely losing track of the others.

"It took too much effort to capture that cambion so we can't let him escape the prison after expending the effort on him." Lyra said as if she lacked confidence in Curtis.

Curtis glanced back at Lyra's partially exposed figure. The only thing covering her was the blankets on Curtis's bed. It made his body boil.

"Why don't you get dressed before the others find you here." Curtis slowly got up from the bed and walked over to his dresser. Picking up a bottle of wine and chugging it down straight from the bottle.

"Rather then for my safety," Lyra slowly rose off the bed while wrapping the blanket around her to cover herself. Pacing her way up behind Curtis as she spoke softly behind him. "I feel like you simply don't want others to know your so welcoming to the ice queen."

BAM!

Curtis slammed the wine down and glared back at Queen Lyra.

"Don't over estimate your value to me." Curtis grit his teeth and raised his hand. Grabbing hold of Lyra's neck as he pushed her back against the dresser.

"I could equally say the same to you." Lyra smiled sweetly.

Instead of struggling against the grip of Curtis on her throat she smiled sweetly at him. Raising the palm of her hand to gently tap against the side of his face. The very touch of her palm against his cheek was cold enough it could feel frostbitten. The dresser behind her back was already freezing from the drop in temperature around her. Sounds of crackling ice could be heard as they stood there.

"Get out." Curtis said as he released his grip on her and stepped away.

Swiping the wine back up he tried to take a drink. Finding the wine to be frozen from Lyra's cold aura. He could only toss the drink aside and glance out the window at the servants in the distance working. There has not been a moment since he stole the throne recently that he had not had a sleepless night. Having welcomed Lyra into the palace he hoped for her dream walk ability to aid him in his slumber when he felt miserable. However he was not stupid enough to be unaware that knowledge of her being around him could only risk his position.

His position was currently sensitive as not everyone was clueless enough to believe in his words. Nor did everyone agree with the thought of him taking the throne as king. Even if his brother was framed there were many who still believed in Prince Leo and awaited him to return eventually to reclaim the kingdom. The kingdom under Curtis's care was very sensitive.

"You're no fun at all." Queen Lyra sighed as she started to adjust her clothes carefully.

"It has never been my duty to please you." Curtis remarked.

"Almost never." Queen Lyra smiled and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Pulling Curtis down above her while her knees slid against his hips. "But can you really say 'never.'"

"Don't be ridiculous." Curtis tried to ignore her actions.

Curtis smacked Queen Lyra's hand away and stood up. Rushing out of the bedroom as if a fire had been lit. His face was slightly flushed from the woman's actions towards him.

"That woman is worse then a succubus." Curtis muttered under his breath as he heaved a heavy sigh to calm himself down.

Her every action was not done with emotion. They were purely actions for her to gain the upper hand against him as a man. Curtis was aware of that clearly. It was simply that he could not help himself when he faced her. She was dangerous in her own way.

"Your majesty, are you on your way to see the prisoner?" One of the knights asked him as he was walking in the direction of the prison.

"Has he said anything yet?" Curtis asked while getting his mind back on track.

"No, Sir." The knight replied.

"I'll take care of him myself. Make everyone clear out because I will be going in alone." Curtis did not want others to see him interrogate Chete. The less others knew about his personal affairs the better. He intended to drag everything he could out of the cambion. It did not matter if he killed the man during his interrogation as long as he got the information he needed out of him.

As the knight relayed his orders everyone quickly cleared the prison of anyone that would be in Curtis's way. Entering the empty cell room Curtis could see Chete shackled to the wall. Blood dripped from open wounds where the previous torture had failed to make the man speak.

The cambion's eyes were filled with hatred towards Curtis. It was a strong look of hate and the will to rebel against anything he was ordered to say or do. Chete did not want to give up the others to the enemy in front of him.

"As much as you fear giving me what I want," Curtis spoke as he walked up and stood in front of Chete's weakened state. "how about we find out if you fear death more?"

Chete's heart began to race as Curtis closed in on him further. He could feel the intent to kill from Curtis aimed at him. As much as Chete valued the privacy of others that worked with him the cambion valued his own life more. He was being backed into a corner where he would have to make a choice. In the end it would be up to his own endurance. He was not a saint who would give up his own life for others.

From outside the prison not a single sound could be heard. The building was built to keep all sound contained within. Using the prison for interrogating criminals it was well guarded from allowing the slightest bit of sound to escape. It was so that the previous kings could protect information that they needed to during vital times.

Curtis was able to manipulate the prison's silence to his advantage. No matter how violently he interrogated Chete nothing could be heard from outside. It allowed him to direct his questions in any direction without fear. Without a direct order from him nobody else would follow him inside as long as they were told to remain outside.